Basketball Game Preview: North Lincoln Knights vs. Hickory Red Tornadoes

North Lincoln is 0-10 against Hickory since December of 2021 but things could change on Friday. The North Lincoln Knights will face off against the Hickory Red Tornadoes at 7:30 p.m. North Lincoln knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past nine matchups -- so hopefully Hickory likes a good challenge.

North Lincoln saw some tournament action on Saturday. They came out on top against Bandys by a score of 78-70. The Knights pushed the score to 67-44 by the end of the third, a deficit the Trojans cut but never quite recovered from.

North Lincoln got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Kellen Karr out in front who dropped a triple-double on 14 points, 12 boards, and ten assists. Karr is on a roll when it comes to boards, as he's now pulled down nine or more in the last 11 games he's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Ben Heavner, who went 8 of 12 on his way to 21 points.

Meanwhile, Hickory entered their tilt with South Caldwell on Monday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They enjoyed a cozy 89-75 win over the Spartans. The Red Tornadoes' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

North Lincoln has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six contests, which provided a massive bump to their 6-4 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 80.2 points per game. As for Hickory, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.

North Lincoln took a serious blow against Hickory in their previous matchup back in March, falling 88-46. Can North Lincoln avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.